Apogee One

If you're looking to start up a computer-based recording studio, you're going to need an interface. If you're unfamiliar with the product, and interface lets you plug your mic or instrument into your Mac or PC. While many computers have a line-in or microphone input, they typically don't have stellar sound, and should probably be avoided for recording purposes.

The search for a good interface can be overwhelming. You can spend anywhere from $100 to over $3,000 for an interface. Some are Mac or PC-specific. If you're running Pro Tools, you have to buy an interface that's compatible with that software.

So, who is the Apogee designed for? Basically, if you're a Mac user running any Core Audio application (Garageband, Logic Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Digital Performer, Ableton Live, Cubase), and you like to record on-the-go, you'd benefit from having this little box. It's USB-powered, so there's no need for an external power supply. It has a pretty impressive built-in condenser mic, great for recording acoustic guitar and vocals. It also has a breakout cable with a 1/4 Hi-Z input for electric instruments, and a XLR input with Phantom Power for your favorite microphone. In addition, it's about the size of a rather thick cell phone.

The audio quality on this thing is great. If you're familiar with Apogee, you know they have a great reputation for analog/digital/analog converters. Listening to your iTunes library through the One, you may notice a difference. As mentioned above, I really like the built-in mic, and use it for recording most acoustic instruments. There are some great demos of the mic on Apogee's YouTube account. If you don't feel like watching all of them, this is my favorite.

I do have a few (minor) problems with the One, namely:

1. The breakout cable is flimsy. The instrument input no longer works on mine, and I'll have to order another one.

2. The USB cable is flimsy...after dropping the One (while it was plugged in) a few times, I had a hard time getting a good connection between the device and the cable. The USB cable is a common one, though, so I just used one that came with my phone, and it's worked great ever since.

Now would probably be a good time to admit that I'm really hard on my gear. Let's face it, though, if you have a mobile setup, you're gonna drop stuff every now and again.

In conclusion, I don't think there's much competition for the One. The quality and price are pretty much unbeatable. If you need simple, functional recording, follow the link below and start making music!

A Tube-Amp Warm Welcome

What's up, musical universe? The purpose of this blog is to share my musical purchases with you, and to give you feedback on the products I like, as well as the ones that I really regret buying.

First up? My Peavey Classic 30 combo. Back when I was a junior in High School, and I had just bought a Gibson Les Paul, I knew that my Fender Frontman 25R just wasn't going to cut it any more. I didn't exactly know much about tube amps, but I knew I had to have one. Why? Well, that's what the pros use. Plus, they have that "warm" tone that solid-states just can't reproduce. Yeah, yeah. I knew all the lingo, but I didn't know squat about tone.

Fast-forward a few years. I'm now a sophomore in college, and I'm still lugging the Classic 30 around. When I first got the amp, I didn't completely love it. I liked that it was loud, but I wasn't getting the tone I wanted out of it. I wasn't sure if the guitar or amp was to blame, but I felt like my tone was muddy. It didn't sound the way guitars sound on CDs! I'm still learning a lot about tone, but after some experimentation, I've grown to appreciate the Classic a lot more.

What changed my mind? Buying another amp. When I came to college, I figured I needed a new amp, because everyone knows a 30-watt tube amp is just too big for a dorm room. So, I went out to the local music store and bought a Vox AC4TV stack. 4 watts, switchable to 1 or 1/4 watts. I also bought a Mexican Humbucker-only Strat, with just a volume knob, as I didn't want to leave the Les Paul in my dorm. I fell in love with the tone instantly! Why? The single tone knob on the amp, combined with just a volume knob on the guitar taught me a lot about tone. When I was rocking out with my high school alternative-ish band, I normally just turned all of my guitar's knobs all the way up. I cranked the treble on my amp to cut through the mix. Never mind the piercing highs. Once I had something more to work with, things changed a bit.

I love the Vox amp, and will review it in a later post, but it doesn't have a lot of headroom. You can't get much volume without natural tube distortion (what do you expect from 4 watts?). The great thing about my Peavey is that I can put it on stage, turn the volume about a 1/4 of the way up, and get some nice, natural tube distortion on the clean channel. It's plently loud, and it can sound pretty beastly with some distortion pedals in front of it. It's also got a distortion channel, effects loops, spring reverb, 3 separate tone controls, a footswitch jack, and a boost switch. If you want to send the signal to an external speaker cabinet, you can do that, too.

My only gripes with the amp are:

1. It's weight. This thing is a bear to lug around. But, it's a 30 watt all-tube amp, so there aren't a lot of remedies to this problem.

2. Tube Rattle. I suspect this is a problem with most combo amps, but the Classic 30 is a prime offender. When I rock out in my bedroom, low notes have a tendency to really shake the tubes. On stage, no one will ever notice, but for solo jamming, it's just plain annoying. There are a few solutions to this problem, such as this nifty contraption, but I haven't explored any means of subduing the rattle.

In conclusion, I would definitely recommend the Classic 30 to the gigging guitarist who wants all-tube goodness without shelling out over $1000. The Classic is a crazy value for the price, and it should keep you rocking for years to come.

If you're interested, you can find the Classic 30, along with a number of other professional-grade tube amps, at Musician's Friend.